As recession looms, online love blooms

It's fair to say that as the economic downturn continues to grip the world, most people are feeling fairly glum about their financial situations and future prospects.

But is this morale-sapping phenomenon permeating into other areas of our lives, and if so, how is it manifesting itself?

If the results of new research by a leading online dating site are to be believed, it would appear that it is having a truly galvanising effect on our love lives.

Perfectmatch.com conducted a study which reveals that it acquired a whopping 47 per cent extra members over the course of the past quarter, further accelerating the growth it has seen in 2008.

Furthermore, it would appear that more people are successfully finding love as a means of consoling themselves in these tough times, with the site noting a 125 per cent increase in matches during the three-month period.

Dr Pepper Schwartz, chief relationship expert for the site, has explained that the spike is perhaps unsurprising as online dating is a cheap way of meeting people and is not particularly time-consuming.

He said: "One of the hardest emotional feelings is being in the midst of bad news by yourself.

"We are all generally better as a team and appreciate someone who shares our values, goals and lifestyle, and that's why we've seen increased traffic to top dating sites in the current economic climate."

An interesting development noted by the dating site is that 92 per cent of its members are making use of its Duet Compatibility System (Duet).

It is a matching and capability programme - based on 35 years of academic research - which allows users to look for potential partners who have markedly different personalities from their own.

Dr Schwartz, who helped develop the tool, claims that it takes a more rigorous and scientific approach to character traits in order to provide matches which may be better suited for long-term relationships.

Duane Dahl, CEO and founder of Perfectmatch.com, commented: "I think a key reason for the rise in new members, renewals, emails and matches is that people trust the Duet analysis and that greater self-understanding makes them more successful in finding better relationships - efficiency is a priority to consumers in tough times."

So although people may feel down in the dumps about security at work or in terms of their finances, it would appear that writing off their chances of love as well may not be the most prudent course of action.

On the contrary, such a turbulent period seems to be a chance to restore hope through finding a new love - and online dating sites are playing a crucial role in that trend.